PICKING HER UP FOR SCHOOL II

Emma ran to the bathroom with her white thick towel all wrapped around her, after her call with Clem. Muttering curses to herself, she switched on the shower and let it run for a while before stepping under it.

'How could I have forgotten what today was?' she muttered to herself, as she layered shampoo on her hair. She really needed to do something about her love for sleep. Perhaps she would ask Melvina, she thought, then wondered why she thought of Melvina first when she needed help. For fudges sake, I just met her two days ago. She mused.

As she shampooed and scrubbed herself softly but fast, she reminisced on how her life had changed rapidly in less than a week already. She was no longer under the care if her parents at seventeen, which was weird even for her. Amelia was 19, two years older her but was still pampered.

'Well I have to make the most of it.' Emma muttered to herself. 'I will have to make new friends too'. She thought, remembering Melvina and the guys that had turned her dilapidated house into a palace.

Staring at the mirror while toweling herself, she promised to get Melvina a gift, then take the guys out with her first pay from her new work. Although it wasn't much, it would at least get them fries. 'That should start up a good friendship.' She muttered.

Actually, Emma was excited about her new work, more than she was excited about school. The work would be her first work ever, her first own money too. All through her life, she had been left with no choice but to rely on her father for money. He didn't let them work too. He had said, not until they started living on their own, perhaps in college.

Once she and Amelia had applied as waitresses in a dinner restaurant; they had wanted to foot the bill of their last prom night party themselves. Although they were two years apart, they had been in the same class, owing more to her magnetic genius brain. She had skipped some classes, even advanced maths. The principal had managed to convince her father that it wasn't worth it, stalling her time since she already knew her way around books.

Her father hadn't been happy about it when he found out that they had been working at a restaurant; a dinner one at that. He had come that evening to dine with his business partner, when he saw Amelia swatting the hands of an older man who had wanted to touch her. He had gone livid in anger.

Standing up, he had strolled over to the table, his business meeting forgotten entirely as he bestowed a blow on the man who he had seen harassing his daughter. The blow earned gasps from the other diners and left a cut on the man's lips.

Amelia and she, after watching the scene had taken off their work clothes and fled home; knowing fully well how hot their father's temper could be. He had threatened fire and brimstone on them when he came home that night and grounded them for a week. Since then, she had sworn off work with her sister.

"But he just threw me down here without any living expenses.." Emma grumbled, hanging the towel on its rack and stepping into her room.

'.. so that means he wanted me to work and fend for myself. Well it didn't go against his promise, I'm living alone now.' She carped, taking out her underwear from her drawer and putting them on.

Well she will work then. She thought. It mustn't be that hard as her father had said it would be. At least getting dinner for the guys and a gift for Melvina was enough motivation to do it.

Emma thought of the guys as she wore the clothes which had brought out earlier. Actually, she was thinking of Derek. He was totally hot, but swinged moods like a woman. She still remembered the look on his face when he had seen her chatting happily with Clem. She wondered whether she would see him again, perhaps in college.

'Missing him already?' Her mind taunted her. No! she screamed more to herself, bobbling her head in negative. The guy was really a jerk. She preferred Clem to him. Clem was very thoughtful and nice. She was totally comfortable around him.

Humming a western blues, she finally put on a white snaggy polo over the ripped jeans she had worn earlier. She completed her dressing with her favourite chunky boots. It had been a gift from Amelia on her last birthday. Her sister had always known what she liked.

She took her back pack, making sure her purse was in it. She needed the money in it for breakfast. The oatmeal in the refrigerator would have to wait later, time was already against her. She had to be in school.

Walking out to her front porch, after turning off the lights in each section of the house, Emma found Clem waiting already for her by a blue mustang.

"Wow" She shouted, as she saw the car. It was the latest model. He must be really rich. She thought as she stared at her new friend that flexed a biker jacket.

"Come on Emma, let's go. We are already behind time." He said, entering the car and roaring the engine back to life.

Emma turned back hastily and locked her door, before rushing over to the car. She trailed her fingers over the blue sparkling beauty, and sighed in content. She also had a weakness to cars.

"Get in Emma, it's just a mustang." Clem said, smiling at the look on the human's face. He was happy that his car had this much effect on her. He scored himself two points.

She whistled, and got into the car. They drove off at a great speed, trying to beat time at its game.

When they got to the campus, Emma had to admit that her sister was right. The school was bloodugeringly beautiful. She thought, an awestruck look on her face.

Clem took her to the rector's office, and during the meeting ,she discovered that her father had already taken care of her whole admission process. So she just took some pamphlets and her class plan and walked off with Clem.

He showed her, her department. She would be majoring in Political science. He also walked her to her class. Emma could hear voices as they stood by the door, the lecturer was already teaching.

"Just go in. He wouldn't say much about you. We're in college now, not high school." Clem said, referring to the lecturer. "I will be going now; I have classes." He said, staring down at her. Like an after thought, he pecked her on the cheek, and walked off to his department. He was studying architecture.

Emma didn't want to read meaning into Clem's kiss, she had a bigger problem at hand. She thought as she stared at the door; her hands twerking in nervousness. She had to go into the class, alone. She wished she had come earlier; then she would have gone in together with her course mates. It wouldn't be as scary as it was now.

Finally, after some minutes had passed, She took a deep breath, in and out for the last time, and opened the door.